Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Benjamin Netanyahu tours Europe to discuss Iran. The Israeli prime minister says Iran will be his top priority. He’s seeing French president Emmanuel Macron, UK prime minister Theresa May, and, one of his harshest critics, German chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he’ll meet today (paywall).
Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests. Organizers are using the slogan “Resist Authoritarianism” to mark the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing. On Sunday, the US urged China to release a full account of all those killed and arrested in the protests.
Apple hosts its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. It’s expected to unveil software updates and maybe some new hardware, with rumors swirling that iPads will get a refresh and iOS will get a new “Digital Health” feature.
Over the weekend
Microsoft has reportedly acquired GitHub. Microsoft may have paid upwards of $5 billion for the huge code repository, beloved of Apple, Google, and other tech giants. The deal is expected to be announced today. Many fear that Microsoft will use its ownership of GitHub to see what projects are popular and then launch rivals of its own.
Donald Trump’s lawyers prepared for an obstruction of justice battle. A Trump attorney argued in a 20-page letter (paywall) to the special counsel investigating Russia’s election meddling that his client could “terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon.” Trump could potentially be subpoenaed in the probe.
Facebook gave device makers “deep access” to user data. A New York Times report found that data-sharing partnerships between Facebook and hardware makers, meant device makers could retrieve personal information from users’ friends, who believed they’d barred any sharing (paywall).
A volcano eruption in Guatemala killed 25. The Fuego volcano erupted on Sunday for the second time this year, sending lava and smoke six miles up into the air. President Jimmy Morales has declared three days of national mourning.
Italy’s Unicredit may be eyeing a merger with France’s SocGen. The Financial Times reported (paywall) that discussions about a merger between the rival banks are at an early stage. If it goes ahead, it could pave the way for more banking mergers on the continent.
The airline industry slashed its profit outlook. Rising fuel costs are largely to blame, while higher interest rates and geopolitical tensions will add to operating risks, warned the International Air Transport Association. It predicts industry profit of just under $34 billion this year, 12% lower than previously forecast.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Ephrat Livni on the debate over plant consciousness. “Because we are steeped in an ancient tradition of human-centrism, we believe that our experience of life is what defines consciousness… But there is some evidence that other modes of existence are equally complex, which suggests that other living things have arguably intelligent or conscious experiences.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Italy should be compensated for the migrants it takes in. The EU’s flawed migration policies have imposed an unfair burden on the country.
Alcohol has no place on airplanes. Letting passengers drink is a safety risk (paywall), as was smoking.
Scientists need a universal definition for when space begins. The edge of space is a moving target, which changes as we achieve new milestones.
Surprising discoveries
Private jets are hosting children’s birthday bashes. Companies like VistaJet offer high-altitude tea parties, in hopes of nabbing future customers.
An original Winnie-the-Pooh map could fetch up to $200,000 at auction. Created by E.H. Shepard in 1926, it lays out A.A. Milne’s much-loved fictional world.
The Golden State Warriors are obsessed with chess. Shooting guard Klay Thompson got his teammates into the game (paywall).
Rich people are snapping up dinosaur skeletons. Fossils are the hot new item hitting the auction block, and cash-strapped museums aren’t happy.
A fan paid $3.3 million to have lunch with Warren Buffett. For the past 19 years, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO has auctioned a meal with himself for charity.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, dinosaur bones, and a Buffett buffet to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Jill Petzinger and edited by Lianna Brinded.